TEACHER FONSI 1

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REPORTED SPEECH
We use it to report/mention something that someone has said previously.
STATEMENTS: We use a 'reporting verb' like 'say' or 'tell'1, among many others.

Tense

Direct Speech

Reported Speech

present simple

I like ice cream

She said (that) she liked ice cream.

present
continuous

I am living in London

She said (that) she was living in London.

past simple

I bought a car

She said (that) she had bought a car OR She said (that) she bought a
car.

past continuous

I was walking along the

street

She said (that) she had been walking along the street.

present perfect

I haven't seen Julie

She said (that) she hadn't seen Julie.

past perfect*

I had taken English lessons

before

She said (that) she had taken English lessons before.

will

I'll see you later

She said (that) she would see me later.

would*

I would help, but..

She said (that) she would help but...

can

I can speak perfect

English

She said (that) she could speak perfect English.

could*

I could swim when I was

four

She said (that) she could swim when she was four.

shall

I shall come later

She said (that) she would come later.

1 Most of the times in the past: said+to+object// told+object

TEACHER FONSI 2
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should*

I should call my mother

She said (that) she should call her mother

might*

"I might be late"

She said (that) she might be late

must

"I must study at the weekend"

She said (that) she must study at the weekend OR She said she had
to study at the weekend

* doesn't change.
Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is
still true (but this is only for things which are general facts)
TIME EXPRESSIONS WITH REPORTED SPEECH
Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to change time expressions too. We
don't always have to do this, however. It depends on when we heard the direct speech and when we say the
reported speech. Here's a table of some possible conversions:
now then / at that time
today yesterday / that day /
yesterday the day before / the previous day /
last night the night before/the previous night
last week the week before / the previous week
tomorrow the next day / the following day/ the day after
this that
these those
here there/that place
DONT FORGET TO DO THE CHANGES IN SUBJECTS AND DO/IO!!!
Cambios en los pronombres
I
My
We
You
Your

He, she / him, her

His, her
They / them
I, he, she, we, they / me, him
My, his, her, our, their

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REPORTED QUESTIONS
In fact, it's not so different from reported statements. The tense changes are the same, and we keep the
question word. The very important thing though is that, once we tell the question to someone else, it isn't a
question any more. So we need to change the grammar to a normal positive sentence. Common
reporting verbs for questions: asked /wondered/wanted to know.
WH- QUESTIONS REPORTING VERB+WH- QUESTION PRONOUN+SUBJECT+VERB
(CHANGED INTO ITS CORRESPONDING PAST TENSE)+COMPLEMENTS.

Direct speech: "Where do you live?" Reported speech: She asked me where I lived.

YES/NO QUESTIONS REPORTING VERB+WHETHER/IF+ SUBJECT+ VERB (CHANGED

INTO ITS CORRESPONDING PAST TENSE)+ COMPLEMENT

Direct speech: "Do you like chocolate?" Reported speech: She asked me if I liked chocolate.

REPORTED REQUESTS/ COMMANDS/ORDERS

What if someone asks you to do something (in a polite way)? For example: Direct speech: "Close the
window, please" Or: "Could you close the window please?" Or: "Would you mind closing the window
please?" All of these requests mean the same thing, so we don't need to report every word when we tell
another person about it Reported speech: She asked me to close the window. We simply use
asked/begged/enquired/wanted+ object+ (not) to + infinitive'. To report a negative
request, use 'not':Direct speech: "Please don't be late." Reported speech: She asked us not to be late.
Here are a few more examples:

Direct Request

Reported Request

Please help me.

She asked me to help her.

Please don't smoke.

She asked me not to smoke.

Could you bring my book tonight, please?

She asked me to bring her book that night.

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Could you pass the milk, please?

Would you mind coming early tomorrow?

She asked me to pass the milk.

She asked me to come early the next day.

If someone doesn't ask so politely, it is called an 'order' in English. For example: Direct speech: "Sit down!"
Reported speech: She told me to sit down.

Direct Order

Reported Order

Go to bed!

He ordered the child to go to bed.

Don't worry!

He told her not to worry.

SUGGESTIONS
They are usually reported with a that-clause. "That" and "should"
are optional in these clauses:
She said: "Why don't you get a mechanic to look at the car?" She suggested that I should get a mechanic to
look at the car. OR She suggested I get a mechanic to look at the car.
NOTE! Other reporting verbs used in this way are: insist, recommend, demand, request, propose.
NOTES! Suggest can also be followed by a gerund: I suggested postponing the visit to the
dentist.
Examples:
a. "It would be a good idea to see the dentist", said my mother.
__ My mother suggested I see the dentist. / My mother suggested seeing the dentist.
b. The dentist said, "I think you should use a different toothbrush".
__ The dentist recommended that I should use a different toothbrush. / The dentist recommended
using a different toothbrush
c. "Why don't you sleep overnight at my house?" she said.
__ She suggested that I should sleep overnight at her house./ She suggested sleeping overnight at her
house